Thursday, August 20, 2015

So, the other day Hayley Atwell exploded the minds of Doctor Who and Marvel fans alike by saying that she wanted to not just appear on Doctor Who but be more than a companion or side character--she wants to be The Doctor.

Sky: Though my relationship status with Doctor Who is labeled as
“it’s complicated,” I have a lot to say about why I think Hayley
Atwell would make a fabulous Doctor. My awesome friend Hannah does, too, so I’ve
asked her to help collaborate with me on this post!

Hannah: I may or may not have fist bumped the air and cheered when I read this, because oh my goodness, I need this to happen. By the way, this is coming from someone who was previously against the idea of a female Doctor. Hayley wasn't the main reason I changed my mind, but she sure has encouraged it.

Here are our five reasons why Hayley Atwell needs to become The Doctor ASAP.

1. A female Doctor would be awesome and progressive.

Having The Doctor be a male isn’t a bad thing at all, but there’s something to be said about having The Doctor be a woman. It would give thousands of female Doctor Who fans someone to look up to. It’s 2015: I think it’s time.

It’s entirely possible, too. Romana is one example of this. She was a female Time Lord who was a companion to the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker). In addition, it’s been established a couple of times that Time Lords can change sex while regenerating, most recently in season 8 of New Who. I see no reason why a female Doctor shouldn’t happen… and no reason why Hayley Atwell shouldn’t be that Doctor.

For those who aren’t convinced, I want to remind everyone that this is a show about aliens and all sorts of impossible things! It may be unorthodox, but in my opinion, a female Doctor would be amazing.

2. Hayley Atwell has the presence to make it work.

Hayley has already carried herself brilliantly on her show Agent Carter. She’s badass, funny, smart, and she can rock red lipstick like nobody’s business. Not only that, but she has a very strong presence as an actress. She can play a dramatic part--something perfect for The Doctor--but she can also be witty and use dry humor--something also necessary for The Doctor. And she can kick butt, which is a plus.

Hayley would be able to step into Doctor Who’s strange, dangerous world with ease. It would be hard for just anyone to step into the role of The Doctor, but I believe Hayley could do it--and rock it fantastically.

I haven’t seen Agent Carter... yet. *hides in shame* I need it to come to Netflix! I’m SORRY! But anyway, just from Hayley’s performance in Captain America: The First Avenger (plus the quick peeks of her on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Ant-Man), she captures your attention. Even though her back was turned or she was in the background for most of the scene in Ant-Man, I recognized her right away (and grabbed my brother, loudly whispering “PEGGY CARTER OMG LOOK”). I have a feeling that, in real life, she is one of those people that just walks into a room and immediately captures everyone’s attention. Okay, wow, I’m just fangirling now. My point is: her acting skills + her commanding presence = AMAZING VERSION OF THE DOCTOR.

3. Hayley herself wants this.

We have Twitter evidence that Hayley Atwell would take a role on Doctor Who in a heartbeat.

This isn’t a fan theory or a rumor: Hayley actually wants to be The Doctor. Maybe this is a dream she’s had all her life… and I want her to be able to follow that dream.

Honestly, this is my favorite reason. Hayley stood up and spoke not just for herself but for other girls and women who might have dreamed about playing The Doctor yet never thought they could because he’s always been a guy. While boys could dream of being The Doctor, girls were stuck being companions, romantic interests (or both, ugh, don’t get me started...), or side characters. Boooooring! Hayley wasn’t about to let herself be a side character. Personally, I dream of being a leader and someone that inspires others to fight for their dreams. This isn’t a title a lot of women dream of, much less fight for. Seeing Hayley give the answer nobody expected but we all secretly wanted gave me courage and inspiration to keep fighting for my dreams. So think about this: because Hayley inspired me to keep fighting for my dreams, who might I end up inspiring? And who will they inspire? Talk about a ripple effect--all because Hayley wasn’t afraid to say that she wanted a role that was only given to men.

4. It would break up the monotony and appeal to a whole new audience.

Sky: There have been twelve (or thirteen) Doctors throughout Doctor Who’s entire run, and each of them have done a fantastic job of bringing the story to life. However, when you’ve had twelve incarnations of the same character, sometimes the story lines may seem a bit recycled. What’s the best way to fix this? Gender flipping, of course! Suddenly, The Doctor’s character takes on a whole new life and there are numerous story lines to explore.

Not only that, but having Hayley Atwell as The Doctor would draw in new blood to the Doctor Who fandom. Hayley has a built-in fanbase who adored her as Agent Carter and would probably follow her to the edges of the earth (myself included). I’m a believer that there’s a little bit of something in Doctor Who for everyone. The message at its core is that life is beautiful and wonderful and strange and so, so worth living. If Hayley Atwell took the helm, it would open up the show to people who might not have considered watching otherwise--and they’d get to experience the wonder that is Doctor Who.

As soon as I heard about Hayley’s tweet, I told a friend about it. She had stopped watching Doctor Who but said that she would absolutely start watching it again if Hayley became The Doctor. Frankly, even though I’ve stuck with the show (despite my dislike of series 8 and the disaster of a companion that is Clara Oswald), I’d love it even more if we got Hayley on it.

5. There are so many companion possibilities!

Personally, my top choice is Idris Elba. He’s my choice for the next male Doctor, as well, but if Hayley beats him to it, I’d love for him to be her companion. His calm, stoic demeanor would contrast well with her spunk and independence. Plus, they’ve already been in the Marvel universe together, so it would be...

Another choice of mine would be Daniel Radcliffe. He’s just mature enough that he’d be a good companion to Hayley, but I think he’d still be able to portray a childlike sense of wonder. He’s got a wide range of acting under his belt and so I think he’d be able to keep up with Atwell on screen.

My instinct is to scream from the rooftops “SEBASTIAN FREAKING STAN PLEASE AND THANK YOU BECAUSE SERIOUSLY PEGGY CARTER AND BUCKY BARNES TRAVELING THROUGH TIME AND SPACE IS THE STUFF MY DREAMS ARE MADE OF.” Buuut probably more realistically speaking, I’d love to see Retta. You probably know her as Donna from Parks and Recreation. First off: I really miss Donna Noble. Also, I feel like “Doctor Atwell” would need someone to keep her in line a little, and Retta has the attitude for it. (Also, treat yo self.)

I also agree that Daniel Radcliffe would be super awesome. My favorite choice would actually be Morgan Freeman. Like, I’m picturing this older man who’s had a rough life and he suddenly meets this spunky young Doctor and somehow they end up on adventures and while seeing the wonders of the universe, the good and the bad, he finds himself growing softer and more of a young soul. Hey, BBC, if you read this - I’ll sell you a couple of scripts. I’ve got some real tear-jerking ideas for you. (Step aside, Moffat!)

Other companions that would also be acceptable are James McAvoy and Emma Watson.

No reason, I just need it. I’m a fangirl. I have needs.

In conclusion, we’ve determined that we need Hayley Atwell as our next Doctor, and we need it now. Do you think Hayley Atwell would make a good Doctor? Who are your choices for her companion?

Hannah Grace is an INFJ, a Jesus follower, a self-proclaimed activist, enjoying being a gluten free girlie, definitely a lover of 70s-80s music, extreme fangirl, always a dream chaser, and a wannabe leader and advocate for people struggling with anxiety and PTSD. She’s relaunching her blog, “Much Love, HG”, on September 1st. Meanwhile, follow her on Instagram, Periscope, and Twitter @muchlovehg - yes, she has the same username for all three accounts. I bet you wish you were this organized.

I've never watched Doctor Who, but if Hayley Atwell stepped in, I would prove Reason #4 correct. (Don't worry, I'd go back and watch the prior doctors to get a feel for the show first. And then I would jump on board with Dr. Atwell.) As for companions, I love the idea of Daniel Radcliffe stepping in. It might be because I'd like to imagine Harry Potter working with Agent Carter. I'm also completely in love with the idea of Sebastian Stan joining forces with Hayley. Oh the possibility!